ASK THE EXPERT - JAN 2015

Certainly this is a very old Ibeji, most likely carved during the second half of the 1800. The strong shoulders, the position of the hands with the palm open to the front of the statuette and the fingers bended up, indicate the origin from the Ajilete area, which is between Oke Odan (Anago) and Ado Odo (Awori). Analyzing carefully the photos of the Ibeji it is possible to exclude the origin from the village of Ado Odo because the Ibeji does not have the particular protuberant malleolo bone on the outer ankle. In summary, the Ibeji originated from an old workshop of the village of Oke Odan (Anago) and it is a new variety, due to the position of the hands and fingers. This is a new type, not yet inserted in the “Catalogue of the Ibeji” and in the “Encyclopedia of the Ibeji”. Obviously can be classified as a “RARE” Ibeji.